Dubrovnik: Game of Thrones&Lokrum Island Walking Tour

Winter is coming, but Dubrovnik is sunny. This three-hour tour links the city’s best-known Game of Thrones filming sites with a ferry ride to Lokrum Island, where you can sit on the official Iron Throne. I especially like the mix of show trivia and Croatian history, plus the freedom to stay on Lokrum after the guided portion ends. The main catch is the extra admission cost: the $41 tour price does not include the €15 Red Keep entrance or the €30 Lokrum ticket.

The tour also works surprisingly well for mixed groups. Guides such as Michaela, Ines, Josip, Andrea, Marko, and Davor have been praised for using humor, photos, behind-the-scenes stories, and local history to keep non-fans involved. Bring swimwear, a towel, and sunscreen if you want to turn the final stop into a full island afternoon.

Key points at a glance

• Walk Cersei’s famous route: Visit the Jesuit Stairs, used for the Walk of Shame, and hear how the scene was filmed.
• See the real Red Keep: Lovrijenac Fortress provides the tour’s most striking setting, with views over the water and Dubrovnik’s walls.
• Photograph the Iron Throne: Lokrum’s visitor center gives you the classic souvenir photo on the throne donated to Dubrovnik by HBO.
• Get more than television trivia: The strongest guides add Croatian and Dubrovnik history, making the tour worthwhile even for people who have not watched the series.
• Keep your afternoon flexible: The guided experience finishes on Lokrum, and you can return by ferry or stay for swimming, nature, cafés, and island walks.
• Budget for add-ons: The tour fee covers the walking tour and guide, but the Red Keep and Lokrum admission fees are separate.

Why Dubrovnik makes such a convincing King’s Landing

Dubrovnik was chosen as the setting for King’s Landing because its stone walls, sea views, fortresses, gates, and narrow streets already look like a place built for political intrigue. The television production added fantasy, but the city does much of the work itself.

You begin outside the Old Town at the Amerling fountain in Pile Square. Look for the blue umbrella marked with the DUtheTour logo, near the Dubravka restaurant. This meeting point is practical because it sits just outside the historic center and close to the first major stop.

The tour is led in English or German, and a private group option is available. The guide matters here. The best part of the experience is not simply being shown a staircase or gate. It is hearing how that location was used, seeing reference photos, and understanding what you are looking at in the real city.

The strongest feedback has gone to guides who balance Game of Thrones with local stories. Michaela was praised for her humor and passion, while Ines was appreciated for making both the show and Dubrovnik history interesting. Marko and Andrea also received repeated praise for energy, warmth, and clear explanations.

Lovrijenac Fortress gives you the big opening scene

The first major stop is Lovrijenac, the fortress used as the Red Keep. Allow about an hour here, including the guided visit and sightseeing.

Lovrijenac sits outside the Old Town on a rocky rise above the sea. Its position makes the location easy to recognize on screen. From the fortress, you get a powerful view back toward Dubrovnik, the old walls, and the water below. Even if your knowledge of the show is limited, this is a good historical and visual start.

The €15 entrance ticket is not included. That extra charge is important when you compare the tour with a basic city walk. You are paying not only for the guide, but also for access to one of Dubrovnik’s most memorable fortifications.

The visit involves steps and uneven historic surfaces. The supplied information does not give an accessibility rating, so you should be prepared for a fortress visit rather than a flat pavement stroll. Wear shoes that are comfortable on stone.

Pile Gate and Stradun connect fiction with daily life

After Lovrijenac, the group returns toward the Old Town and enters through Pile Gate. The guided stop here is brief, around ten minutes, but it helps you understand how Dubrovnik’s defensive design shaped the show’s city scenes.

Pile Gate is one of the main entrances into the Old Town. It can feel crowded during summer, so listen carefully and stay close to the blue umbrella or your guide. The area is also a useful point for photographs, with the walls and entrance creating an immediate King’s Landing mood.

The tour then moves along Stradun, Dubrovnik’s main street, for about fifteen minutes. This broad stone thoroughfare is more open than the side lanes and gives the guide room to explain how the city was transformed for filming.

Here, the show connection works best when paired with everyday Dubrovnik. You are not visiting a purpose-built film set. People use these streets, shops operate here, and the stone buildings are part of a living city. That contrast helps make the television locations more interesting.

The Jesuit Stairs reveal the Walk of Shame location

The Jesuit Stairs are one of the tour’s most recognizable stops. The guided visit lasts about fifteen minutes, and this is where you see the setting used for Cersei Lannister’s Walk of Shame.

The staircase is visually dramatic, which explains why it works so well on screen. Your guide can point out the exact framing and discuss the scene’s role in the series. Several guides have also used photos to help guests compare the real location with the finished production.

This stop is especially useful for fans who want clear, specific filming references rather than general talk about the series. It is also one of the places where a guide’s delivery makes a difference. Some guides add trivia and quiz questions as the group walks, keeping the pace lively without turning the tour into a lecture.

The steps can be steep, and you should expect other people to be taking photos. Be patient and avoid blocking the staircase. The location is part of a working public area, not a private attraction arranged solely for tour groups.

Rector’s Palace and the Old Port add Dubrovnik’s own story

Rector’s Palace receives about ten minutes of guided sightseeing. The building adds a different tone to the tour, moving away from fortifications and famous scenes toward Dubrovnik’s civic and political past.

The palace is a useful reminder that Dubrovnik’s real story is strong enough to carry the tour. Guides have been praised for explaining Croatian history alongside the show, and that balance is a major reason this experience suits couples or families with mixed interests.

The next stop is the Old Port, with roughly ten minutes of guided commentary. The port helps explain Dubrovnik’s relationship with the sea and provides another view of the city’s walls and waterfront. It also sets up the transfer to Lokrum.

You should expect a fair amount of walking over three hours. The schedule includes several short stops, but the route is not simply a series of bus rides between attractions. Comfortable shoes, water, and sun protection are sensible choices, especially in the warmer months.

The ferry to Lokrum changes the rhythm

The crossing to Lokrum takes about fifteen minutes. It is short, but it gives you a welcome pause after the Old Town streets and offers a different view back toward Dubrovnik.

Lokrum served as the setting for parts of Qarth. The island feels different from King’s Landing, with trees, paths, ruins, rocky shorelines, and open space replacing dense stone lanes. The contrast is one of the tour’s best features.

The Lokrum entrance ticket costs €30 and is not included in the advertised tour price. That is a substantial addition, particularly for families. The total value is strongest if you intend to spend extra time on the island rather than simply visit the Iron Throne and leave.

The ferry ride is part of the practical appeal. You get a change of scenery without arranging separate transport, and the tour ends on Lokrum rather than taking you straight back to the meeting point.

Lokrum’s monastery and Iron Throne are the payoff

On Lokrum, the guided route includes the Benedictine Monastery, with about fifteen minutes of visiting and commentary. The monastery ruins add atmosphere and historical interest, while the island itself gives you a chance to slow down.

The main fan moment comes at the Iron Throne visitor center. The throne was donated to Dubrovnik by HBO, and you can sit on it for a photograph. This is the clearest souvenir from the tour, so have your camera ready and allow around ten minutes for the visit and photos.

The Iron Throne is a simple attraction, but it works because it gives the tour a definite finish. You have followed the show through the city, crossed to its Qarth setting, and ended with an object tied directly to the production.

The island also has appeal beyond the series. Peacocks and rabbits live there, and the information supplied describes them as friendly. Lokrum is a protected forest reserve, so treat it as a natural area rather than a theme park. Keep your distance from animals, avoid leaving rubbish, and stay aware of the last ferry.

Stay for swimming, cafés, and a slower afternoon

The guided experience finishes on Lokrum, and this is where you get a useful choice. You can return to Dubrovnik by ferry or stay on the island for the rest of the day.

If you stay, bring swimwear, a towel, and sunscreen from the start. The beaches are rocky, so do not expect a broad sandy strand. The reward is a quieter island setting, with nature, ruins, cafés, and places to sit near the water.

You must leave with the last ferry. Overnight stays are not allowed, and the island’s protected status means you should plan around the ferry timetable rather than assume you can depart whenever you wish.

This flexibility is a real strength. The three-hour guided portion gives you structure, while the rest of the day remains yours. One couple used the island as a place to explore independently after the tour, and the island also suits people who are only mildly interested in Game of Thrones.

What the $41 price really includes

At $41 per person, the price is reasonable for a three-hour guided experience that includes several important filming locations, a professional guide, and the ferry connection to Lokrum. The strongest value comes from the guide’s interpretation, not from the walking alone.

Still, you need to add the €15 Lovrijenac entrance and €30 Lokrum admission. That makes the total noticeably higher than the headline price. Check the current conversion before booking, especially if you are arranging the tour for a family or larger group.

You are also paying for time efficiency. Dubrovnik’s filming locations are spread across the Old Town, the fortress area, and Lokrum. A good guide helps connect them in a sensible order and fills the walk with context rather than leaving you to match locations from memory.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour and the reserve-now, pay-later option make the booking fairly flexible. Starting times vary, so check availability for your date.

Who will get the most from this tour

You should book this if you want a guided introduction to Dubrovnik that uses Game of Thrones as the organizing theme. It is especially good for fans who want the Red Keep, Walk of Shame, Blackwater Bay, Qarth, and the Iron Throne in one outing.

It also suits a mixed group. One family found the historical material engaging for people who had never watched the show, and another group enjoyed the Croatian stories as much as the filming details. That makes this a better choice than a narrow fan-only tour.

You may want to skip it if you dislike television-themed sightseeing, have already explored every major Old Town landmark, or want a quiet nature day without a fixed schedule. The extra entrance fees may also make a basic city walk better value for a strict budget.

The private group option is worth considering if you want more control over questions and pace. The standard experience is still likely to feel personal when the group is small, but the exact group size is not specified.

Should you book the Dubrovnik Game of Thrones and Lokrum tour?

Book it if you want the best-known filming sites explained by an engaging local guide, then want the option of a swim and island afternoon. The repeated praise for humor, warmth, show expertise, and Croatian history points to the tour’s real strength: a good guide makes Dubrovnik itself more interesting, not just its television connections.

I would book it early in your Dubrovnik stay if possible. The tour gives you useful orientation around Pile Gate, Stradun, the Old Port, and Lokrum, while the island option lets you adjust the day to your energy level.

Just budget for the €45 in separate entrance fees, wear good shoes, and check the final ferry time before staying on Lokrum. For Game of Thrones fans, it is a strong choice. For everyone else, it remains worthwhile if you enjoy fortresses, local history, sea views, and a flexible island finish.

FAQ

How long does the Dubrovnik Game of Thrones and Lokrum tour last?

The guided tour lasts three hours. It includes walking through Dubrovnik, a ferry ride to Lokrum, and visits to the island’s monastery and Iron Throne.

Where does the tour meet?

Meet your guide at the Amerling fountain in Pile Square, outside Dubrovnik’s Old Town and close to the Dubravka restaurant. Look for the blue umbrella with the DUtheTour logo.

Which languages are available?

The tour is available in English and German.

Is Lovrijenac Fortress included in the tour price?

The guided visit is included, but the Red Keep entrance ticket costs €15 and is not included in the tour price.

Is the Lokrum entrance fee included?

No. The Lokrum entrance ticket costs €30 and must be paid separately.

Can I take a picture on the Iron Throne?

Yes. The tour includes a visit to the Iron Throne on Lokrum, where you can take a photograph.

Can I stay on Lokrum after the guided tour?

Yes. The tour finishes on Lokrum, and you can stay to enjoy the island, swim, visit cafés, or explore the natural areas. You must leave on or before the last ferry, and overnight stays are not allowed.

What should I bring if I want to swim on Lokrum?

Bring swimwear, a towel, and sunscreen. The island has rocky beaches, and it is a protected forest reserve.